title: Impact of treatment strategies on local control and survival in uterine carcinosarcomas in Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical characteristics, patterns of recurrence and survival outcomes in patients with uterine carcinosarcomas treated in our institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  Records of 26 patients diagnosed between 2007 and 2011 with uterine carcinosarcoma were retrospectively evaluated for demographic features, tumor characteristics, treatment regimens and patient outcomes in terms of DFS and OS RESULTS: Median age was 61 (range 43-78). 10 patients (38%) had stage I disease at diagnosis, 3 (12%) had stage II, 4 (15%) had stage III and 9 (35%) had stage IV. Sixteen patients (62%) received chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin for 6 cycles. One patient underwent radiotherapy. Median follow up was 17 months. Sixteen patients relapsed and 13 died during follow up. Considering recurrence, 5 out of 16 patients had lung metastases, one had brain metastases and 9 had only intraabdominal recurrence. The 3 year DFS was 37% and the 3 year OS was 30%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data show that uterine carcinosarcomas tend to be at advanced stage at diagnosis and despite the use of chemotherapy, overall prognosis is poor. Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment. More effective adjuvant strategies are needed to reduce relapse and death rates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Baskent University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. dr_nadire@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Nadire
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kucukoztas
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dizdar
authors.forename: Samed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rahatli
authors.forename: Polat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dursun
authors.forename: Selim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yalcin
authors.forename: Özden
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Altundağ
authors.forename: Ozlem
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozen
authors.forename: Nihan Haberal
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Reyhan
authors.forename: Cagla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tarhan
authors.forename: Ferah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ayhan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002296:Carcinosarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel